Christ the Redeemer

Christ the Redeemer is the iconic symbol of Rio de Janeiro and of Brazil, a colossal 30-metre Art Deco statue of Jesus with arms outstretched, crowning the peak of Corcovado mountain some 700 metres above the city. Completed in 1931 and named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, it gazes out over the sprawling city, Sugarloaf Mountain, the beaches and Guanabara Bay in one of the most spectacular urban settings on earth.

History

The Vincentian priest Pedro Maria Boss first proposed a Christian monument on Corcovado in the mid-1850s, but nothing came of it, and in 1920 the Catholic Circle of Rio revived the idea with a Monument Week to raise donations and signatures. The engineer Heitor da Silva Costa and the artist Carlos Oswald designed the statue, the French sculptor Paul Landowski made it, the Romanian sculptor Gheorghe Leonida shaped the face, and Albert Caquot designed the reinforced concrete under its soapstone skin; built from 1922 to 1931, it opened on 12 October 1931, when floodlights meant to be switched on by Guglielmo Marconi from Rome had to be lit on site because of bad weather (Wikipedia, Christ the Redeemer - statue).

What's there

• The statue - the colossal outstretched figure of Christ.
• The panorama - the view over Rio, the bay, beaches and Sugarloaf.
• The cog railway - the scenic train up through the forest to the summit.
• The Tijuca forest - the vast urban rainforest the railway climbs through.

When to go

May to October, the drier season, for the clearest skies, as cloud often shrouds the summit; go early on a clear morning for the best views and thinner crowds. Check the webcam or forecast before going up, as mist can hide everything.

Practical notes

The summit is often wrapped in cloud, hiding both the statue and the view, so pick a clear day and check the forecast first. It is extremely popular, so book timed tickets ahead and go early to avoid the crush at the small viewing platform. Rio calls for normal city caution with belongings.

Nearby

Sugarloaf Mountain, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, and the Tijuca forest are all in the city.

Key facts